One Plus One
by Patricia de Lioncourt
Summary: "The roots go deep, and its branches are many." Sara hates cryptic messages, and Buffy's just used to them.


Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Witchblade. Buffy and related characters belong to Whedon. Witchblade and related characters belong to TNT and Top Cow Comics.

Originally for TwistedShorts August Fic-a-Day Challenge (Day 28)

A/N: This is set after Season 7 of Buffy, disregarding the comics. As for Witchblade the TV Series, I'm going solely on that. I've never really read the comics before, and I think this'll be set after the final episode of the series (end of Season 2). This is meant to be just a little scene where Sara and Buffy find out something a bit interesting… enjoy!

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**One Plus One**

Sara cried out, bringing the entire force of her right arm down—now covered in the armored blade that was one of the Witchblade's many forms—on the assailant's weapon. The Scythe in the blonde woman's hand connected with the Witchblade, sending sparks flying as it forced the brunette cop and the scythe-wielder several feet apart.

"I'm telling you, it isn't what it looks like!" the blonde protested.

"I saw you kill that man," Sara said, readying herself to strike again.

"Says the woman with the weird gauntlet/sword combo."

It did give Sara a brief moment of pause that her opponent didn't seem in the least bit phased that the two of them were doing battle—scythe versus sword—in a dark alleyway in New York City. Sure, her green eyes had widened in shock when she noticed the bracelet transform into a full-fledged weapon, but the blonde shook it off. Granted, all it did was make Sara all the more suspicious that the woman seemed to be able to witness the transformation.

"You took that man's head. What kind of psychopath are you?" Sara growled.

The blonde rolled her eyes, holding her red weapon—oddly, not a stain of blood on it anywhere—close to her body.

"He was a demon," she said plaintively.

"A demon? Demons _aren't_ real."

"Again, says the woman with the obviously mystical weapon."

Sara had had enough. The woman was dangerous, and she had to be stopped. With a cry like a warrior into battle, the detective charged forward. The other woman lost no time, meeting her with a likewise show of ferocity. The two blades collided, and both women gasped.

Buffy. That was the other woman's name. And Sara knew that Buffy had suddenly heard her name too. The weapons were gone, and it didn't even look like they were in New York anymore. It was all black, like they were nowhere, really, at all.

"The roots go deep, and the branches are many."

Sara blinked, staring over at Buffy.

"What did you say?" she asked.

Buffy shrugged. "I thought you said that."

There was another flash, and suddenly, the two women were standing in the middle of the desert. A large, multi-branched tree towered over them, casting a long shadow on the cracked ground. Suddenly, it groaned, the boughs rubbing together to form a horrible squeak. It wasn't the normal type of tree-squeak. It was loud, unbelievably, and both Buffy and Sara clamped their hands over their ears. Suddenly, Buffy's eyes widened, and she gestured upward with her right elbow. Sara looked up, and her eyes grew to match Buffy's.

Two of the branches were producing large pod-like buds, and the pods were splitting. From one pod, on the far left, a bracelet fell. And from the other on the right, the scythe. The squeaking stopped as the two weapons rolled, of their own will, to their owners' feet. In the distance, the shadows of three men appeared. They repeated the line about roots and branches, and then another flash happened. Gasping, both the women were back in the alley.

"A vampire slayer," Sara said, shaking her head.

She knew. She knew all about it now. Buffy nodded.

"Joan of Arc," the Chosen One nodded.

"Then-Then that really was a demon?"

"Told you so."

Sara took a long, hard stare down at the red-stoned bracelet on her wrist. Finally, shaking her head, she put her back to Buffy.

"This never happened."

Buffy laughed. "Sure."

Sara walked up the alleyway, rounding the corner. She knew that Buffy wasn't going to stop. After all, the supernatural was her life. Whatever had just happened to the two of them had told Sara everything, just as she was sure it had told Buffy everything. Buffy would figure out what the connection was between the Witchblade and that scythe. But Sara was also sure that she'd never see her again.

Which was good enough for her.

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End Notes: Okay, so this is a small part of something that I've been working on for a long while. Well, brainstorm-wise. I've got a bigger idea of this verse, but I honestly haven't had the time to work on it. Maybe, one day. But right now, I hope you enjoyed!


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